When it comes to holiday shopping this year, the majority of consumers are going mobile.
That’s according to a recent study conducted by Burst Media and Rhythm NewMedia. The survey looks at how consumers use mobile devices while they’re shopping in physical stores.
In fact, over half (53.4%) of the 786 US consumers over 18 surveyed say they will use tablets and/or smartphones to go online and research and/or purchase products during the holidays.
Additionally, more than one third (34.2%) of respondents who use smartphones and/or tablets to shop expect to use their mobile devices more this holiday season than last. And one third (33.3%) of these mobile shoppers will purchase holiday gifts using their mobile devices, according to the survey.
Using the data from the study, companies can better understand how shoppers are using their devices while they are in brick-and-mortar stores.
Here’s exactly what those shoppers are doing:
- Research/compare store prices – 48 percent of men, 58 percent of women
- Access coupons/promotions – 34 percent of men, 60 percent of women
- Research/compare brand prices – 47 percent of men, 41 percent of women
- Research/compare features – 51 percent of men, 35 percent of women
- Research/compare reviews – 50 percent of men, 34 percent of women
- Access loyalty accounts – 14 percent of men, 30 percent of women
- Access social media – 6 percent of men, 8 percent of women
- Use digital payments – 14 percent of men, 11 percent of women
The study also finds that just about half of men (50.1 percent) and women (50.6 percent) use mobile devices inside physical retail locations to help them decide what to purchase. Since that’s the case, retailers should also take note of another data point from the study that points to the effectiveness of in-store push notifications.
Consumers who receive push notifications while they’re shopping in physical retail locations actually do make purchases. Over three quarters (76.8 percent) of respondents who report receiving mobile push notifications for in-store promotions read them, and 67.2 percent redeem them, according to the study.
Using data analytics and location-based marketing technologies, retailers can provide more targeted promotions to these mobile shoppers to help drive engagement and increase sales.
The authors of the study recommend some steps brands can take to connect with mobile holiday shoppers, including implementing mobile-optimized websites and mobile apps, as well as mobile advertising and location-based targeting efforts using technologies like geofencing and in-store beacons that talk to shoppers’ smartphones.
With geofencing, a business can use customer location as a data point to send customized offers that are more relevant to the customer, and therefore more likely to result in a conversion.
Using Bluetooth technology, beacons detect nearby smartphones and send them media such as ads, coupons or product information. Retailers can also use beacons to collect information on consumers—particularly how they maneuver through their stores.
Holiday shoppers are entering physical stores with their smartphones as well as pricing information, reviews and even coupons that they’ve gathered from the Web. Retailers can use in-store analytics to better accommodate these technology-loving consumers by interacting with them on their phones, i.e., sending in-store coupons directly to their smartphones via text messages.
In addition, retailers can also arm sales associates with their own mobile devices to help customers place orders and/or purchase goods from the sales floor.
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